Ned - really that politically inept?

[Hodor's Dragon]

Yeah, I think people overlook Ned's life history when talking about assumptions he makes. Life had not taught him that men act honourably or that the good side wins or that people fulfill oaths. None of those were his experience, and so I am baffled that people think those are his assumptions. I think he makes his choices knowing those things, not oblivious to them.

The one thing life had not taught him was that Starks could betray Starks. I think he probably assumed, whatever the superficial differences, that loyalty to their family would be the ultimate factor in any option to side with their foes, and that was his one true mistake. Cersei looking out for her kids wouldn't surprise him. Tywin looking out for his house wouldn't surprise him. Even LF looking out for LF would come as no surprise; he probably did not perceive how that would play out, but if you asked him what LF's interests were, I have no doubt he would rank LF first. He's used to others putting themselves and their wants first.

But he assumed Sansa would put the Starks first, and that proved wrong in the moment of crisis. Without that, he dies in a manner he wouldn't mind and in keeping with his ancestors. He definitely isn't forced to renounce his honour and admit to treason, which IMO hurt him far, far more than the idea of losing his life. And although it wasn't part of his calculations, without Sansa in hand, the Lannisters can't afford to kill Ned at the cost of Jaime. I'd imagine even Joff would have seen that.

In his defence, Sansa's decision couldn't even be anticipated by including Tully values within Stark experiences. Whatever their cultural differences, Ned and Cat were both fiercely loyal to their families.

But Sansa was an 11-year-old girl with a crush on the boy he was about to forcibly remove her from. Perhaps he could use the honor excuse in regard to his decision to tell Cersei he was about to lower the boom on her - it's not good enough, but at least it's an excuse. But he had no reason to tell Sansa a state secret and then give her the run of the castle. That's a fatal blunder, no two ways about it.

Plus trusting Littlefinger? Really? Ned never seemed to see anything fishy in this sequence of events: (1) LF invites Ned to visit a brothel at night; (2) on the way home from the brothel, they're ambushed by Jaime Lannister; and (3) Jaime tells Littlefinger to leave before the fight starts, and Littlefinger leaves. I'd think twice about putting all my eggs in Littlefinger's basket after that.